Contents

Plot

Heavy breathing and stifled sobs can be heard in as Rick stares at the ground in shock.

"What? Was the joke that bad?" Negan taunts. "I'm gonna kill you," Rick says. "Not today, not tomorrow. But I'm gonna kill you." Negan points out that Simon is his right hand man and asks if Rick has one and refers to "anyone of these fine people still breathing". He asks what weapon Rick had; Simon hands Rick's axe to Negan and Negan drags Rick inside the RV.

Negan slams the axe into a table and sits in the driver’s seat, his back to Rick. He dares Rick to kill him with the axe. Rick grabs it and charges forward, but Negan turns around at the last second with an assault rifle pointed at Rick. Negan orders him to drop the axe. He says to Rick "I want you to think about what could have happened. I want you to think about what happened and I want you to think about what can still happen". He starts the RV and proceeds to drive off.

Negan drives through heavy fog and smoke; right through a herd of walkers, blood and guts splattering the windshield. He asks Rick if that reminds him of anyone he knows.

Negan stops the RV; it’s swarmed with walkers. "You are mine. The people back there? They are mine. This? This is mine,” he says, pointing to Rick’s axe. He throws it outside and orders Rick to retrieve it. Rick doesn’t move. “Get my axe,” Negan demands, pointing Lucille at Rick’s face. Rick gets up. Negan pushes him out the door.

As Rick fights the walkers amongst the fog, he thinks about Eugene, Aaron, Abraham, Maggie and Daryl. He climbs to the top of the RV and sees they’re at the smoldering wall of logs that the Saviors previously used to block their path.

Rick sees the Library Survivor, now turned walker, hanging by his neck on the overpass — the captive the Saviors killed while Rick and his group watched.

Rick thinks about Michonne and Carl and breaks down, remembering what happened.

Flashback to the previous night: Rick’s group kneels as Negan deliberates over who to kill. “And you.. are..,” he says as he stops in front of Abraham. "It." Abraham flashes a final peace sign to a devastated Sasha, before Negan strikes Lucille down on his head. “Suck... my... nuts,” a now groggy Abraham says defiantly as blood drips down his face.

Everyone in the group cries as Negan continuously beats Abraham’s head to a bloody pulp. When he’s finally finished, Negan orders a crying Rosita to look at his "dirty girl" - meaning Lucille - which is now covered in Abraham's blood and brains. Enraged, Daryl leaps up and punches Negan in the face before he’s subdued by two Saviors. Dwight points Daryl's crossbow at his head and asks Negan if he can do it, but Negan has other plans. Dwight drags Daryl back in line.

As punishment for Daryl’s transgression, Negan states that he needs Rick's group to know him. Negan says "So... back to it". He turns and slams Lucille down on Glenn's head twice. Maggie stares at her husband in horror and shock, the blows having forced one of Glenn's eyes from its socket. Negan begins to taunt Glenn as he tries to speak. "Maggie, I'll find you," he says to his devastated wife before being bludgeoned to death. "Lucille is thirsty. She's a vampire bat!" Negan quips after he has killed Glenn and walks back towards the group.

Back in the present: Rick lies on top of the RV, axe next to him, haunted by Glenn and Abraham’s deaths. From inside the RV, Negan shoots at Rick through the roof and again orders him to get the axe. Rick picks up the axe and jumps off the roof, grabbing onto the hanging walker, but dropping the axe in the process. Walkers grab at Rick’s feet. Negan opens a window and shoots most of the walkers clawing for Rick, but then the hanging walker’s body detaches from its head, dropping Rick into the herd. After saving Rick, Negan once again orders Rick to get the axe.

Rick finds the axe and makes his way back to the RV while visioning the remaining group remembers being struck by Lucille. “Atta boy,” Negan says, then starts the RV.

Negan drives the RV back to the clearing where Rick’s group awaits. He cleans the bloody axe and tells Rick that he is no longer in charge. “You can still lead a nice productive life producing for me,” he says. He hands Rick the axe, "I think you're gonna need it. I just got a feeling."

Negan pushes Rick out of the RV and drags him back to the rest of his group. He explains to Rick that the purpose of their drive was to change the way Rick sees him. “But you’re still looking at me the same damn way,” he says. Negan orders his men to put their guns to everyone’s heads, and tells Carl to lie on the ground. He draws a line on Carl’s arm and presents Rick with an ultimatum: Rick must cut off Carl’s arm, or everyone will die, including everyone in Alexandria.

Rick begs Negan to take him instead. Impatient, Negan starts counting down from three.

Two. Rick continues pleading.

One. "Just do it," Carl whispers.

Anguished, Rick brings up the axe, but Negan stops him at the very last second. “You answer to me, you provide for me, you belong to me, right?” he asks. “I provide for you,” Rick agrees, with a broken expression. Satisfied, Negan takes back the axe.

Negan tells Dwight to put Daryl in a van. He explains to Rick that if he ever tries anything else, he will force Rick to mutilate Daryl. “Welcome to a brand new beginning,” exclaims Negan. He leaves a truck with Rick’s group so they can transport the goods they are to produce for him. He says he will return for their first offering in one week.

Rick’s group reels with shock and grief as the Saviors leave. Finally, Maggie struggles to her feet. Rick tells her they need to get her to the doctor, but she insists that Rick head back to Alexandria and prepare to fight the Saviors.

Rick says they will all die if they go after Negan, and insists on bringing her to The Hilltop for medical attention. Sasha volunteers to go with Maggie. “I’m taking him with me,” Maggie says in reference to Glenn’s body. She crouches next to Glenn, sobbing.

Sasha gently tells Rosita that she’s going to take Abraham. Rosita nods and the two women hold hands on top of Abraham's body.

The group gathers around Maggie, begging her to let them help her. "He's our family too," Rick says of Glenn. Maggie relents and lets them move the body.

Rick envisions an idyllic scene. In it, his group peacefully eats dinner together. Glenn holds his son. Abraham sits next to him.

Back in harsh reality, Rick prepares to head back to Alexandria. He picks up his axe as a walker approaches, but he ignores it and gets in the RV. Rick glances in the side view mirror as he drives away. In it, he sees the walker dropping to the ground and eating the remains of Abraham. The episode ends with the camera focusing on a broken Rick's eyes.

Carol regains consciousness in the bed of a horse drawn wagon. Her wounds are fresh; it’s been a couple hours since she was shot by Roman. The men on horseback, who previously offered to get Carol medical assistance, lead the way. Morgan walks alongside the wagon. Carol falls back asleep.

She awakens, disoriented; she sees Morgan fighting walkers with help from the men on horseback. She confuses walkers for humans in her hallucinatory state. Weak and distraught, she sneaks away. She comes across a cemetery and approaches the caretaker’s abandoned cottage. An Older Woman beckons her through the window… then Carol suddenly realizes the Old Woman is a decrepit walker and she’s surrounded by walkers. Several people ride in on horseback, just in time to kill the walkers. Morgan and Carol join their group. Morgan raises the flag on the mailbox.

Carol wakes up in a bed. Morgan tells her she’s been asleep for two days.

Outside, Morgan pushes Carol in a wheelchair and tells her they’re in a community called The Kingdom. Carol takes in her surroundings: kids play in the streets, residents water gardens.

Morgan predicts she’ll need a week to recuperate from her injuries, at which point they can return to Alexandria. He tells her The Kingdom is run by a man who calls himself King Ezekiel, but hedges on any more specifics.

Morgan wheels Carol into a theater auditorium. Ezekiel sits on a throne with his tiger, Shiva, chained at his side. Ezekiel dramatically introduces himself to Carol and welcomes her to The Kingdom. Carol, in the meek persona she used with the Alexandrians, pretends to be in awe of The Kingdom. Ezekiel offers her fruit, suggesting she at least take the pomegranate; Carol politely declines and thanks Ezekiel.

Privately, Carol tells Morgan The Kingdom is a circus and vows to leave. Morgan refuses to let her venture out on her own.

Morgan, Ezekiel and a small team leave The Kingdom in two trucks. They hunt pigs in a nearby city, corralling them into a building where a tied up walker awaits. The pigs devour the walker. Ezekiel turns to one of his men, Richard, and tells him it’s a job well done. Richard states, “it’s just what we needed.” Morgan asks why they bait the pigs with walkers. Richard says that he wants their bellies “full of rot.”

Walkers approach Ezekiel’s group. Richard instructs Benjamin, a teenage boy, to kill a nearby walker with a machete. Benjamin struggles with the walker; Ezekiel unsheathes his sword and stabs it in the head. Richard asks Morgan to keep the pig hunt a secret from The Kingdommers.

Back at The Kingdom, Ezekiel praises Morgan’s skill with the fighting stick and asks him to train Benjamin. Morgan agrees.

Carol sits in bed and stares at her wheelchair. Music filters in from a nearby choir practice.

Morgan trains Benjamin in a gazebo.

Carol wheels herself around The Kingdom and quietly steals a knife from a crafting table. She distracts a man who’s folding laundry and steals some clothes from the table.

Morgan and Benjamin take a break from training. Benjamin asks Morgan to loan him his book, The Art of Peace, and Morgan agrees. Ezekiel approaches and asks them to join him. Richard tells Morgan to bring his gun.

Morgan, Ezekiel and a small team wait in a parking lot with a shipment of slaughtered pigs. A group of Saviors arrives. Gavin, the leader, counts the pigs and is pleased to find that they’re bigger than the last shipment. Richard remarks that they fed the pigs well. When Dianne, a Kingdommer, starts explaining to Morgan who the Saviors are, he interjects, “I know who they are.”

As they load up the trucks, a Savior - Jared - picks a fight with Richard. Ezekiel orders his people to lower their weapons and Gavin tells Jared to stop punching Richard. Gavin reminds Ezekiel that the following week is a produce week. He warns Ezekiel that Richard will be the first to die if they deliver less than requested.

Back at The Kingdom, Morgan eats in the cafeteria with Benjamin and Henry, Benjamin’s younger brother. Benjamin tells Morgan that Ezekiel was close friends with his father, a strong fighter who died while clearing walkers from a building. He explains that Ezekiel is keeping the deal with The Saviors a secret because he’s worried that residents would want to fight, despite being outmatched. He asks if Morgan is against killing, having read the pacifist inscription in The Art of Peace. “Sometimes we change our minds,” Morgan says.

Morgan brings food to Carol’s room and finds it empty.

That night, Ezekiel catches Carol picking fruit from the garden as she prepares to leave The Kingdom. She adopts her demure persona and Ezekiel tells her not to bullshit a bullshitter.“You’re a joke,” she tells him. He confesses that he’s putting on an act and that Shiva, contrary to heroic stories that residents have told about him, is a tiger that he nursed back to health when he was a zookeeper. He explains that people wanted to ascribe him a leadership role because it’s human nature for them to feel safer when they have someone to follow. “I just want to go,” Carol says. Ezekiel encourages her to embrace life and suggests a plan that would allow her to simultaneously “go and not go.”

The next day, Morgan sees Carol to the cemetery. At the caretaker’s cottage, Morgan lowers the flag on the mailbox and rides back to town.

Carol enters the cottage and kills the Old Woman Walker. She buries her outside, by the graves.

Carol stokes a fire in her new home. There’s a knock at the door; it’s Ezekiel and Shiva. He offers her a pomegranate. She smiles.

At the Savior compound, Dwight watches TV, plays air hockey with Laura and carves wooden figurines. In the marketplace, he cuts to the front of the bread line and grabs an entire loaf. He watches Saviors beat up a red-haired man who gets into an argument with a worker. After the man is beaten to death, Dwight raids the man’s living quarters, taking a jar of mustard and another one of pickles, as his pregnant wife and son watch.

Dwight grabs tomatoes from a vegetable garden and eggs from a chicken coop. Dwight, Gordon, and the workers kneel as Negan passes by.

Dwight fixes himself an egg and salad sandwich, using the ransacked ingredients, and eats it outside, looking somewhat satisfied. He watches two workers wrangle a walker and chain it to the compound’s walker-encrusted outer fence.

Dwight slathers dog food onto bread and takes the sandwich to Daryl, who is naked in a dark cell. Daryl eats it. Dwight shuts the door. There’s the distinct sound of the door being locked.

Daryl lies in the dark cell as music blasts in his ears. Dwight opens the door and gives him another sandwich. Daryl eats it. Dwight leaves; the sound of the door being locked is heard once again. The scene is repeated, only this time, Dwight gives Daryl clothes.

Dwight leads Daryl out of his cell and takes him to Dr. Carson’s office, where Dr. Carson has just finished examining Sherry. Sherry recognizes Daryl but Dwight forbids her from talking to him. She tells Dwight that her pregnancy test is negative. As she walks out, she advises Daryl to do whatever he’s told.

Dr. Carson examines Daryl’s injured shoulder and assures him that Negan will take care of him.

As Dwight leads Daryl back down the hall, Negan appears and pulls Dwight aside for a talk. A Savior, Fat Joey, guards Daryl at gunpoint. Directly in front of Daryl is an open door; beyond it, he sees an efficiency apartment. Dwight drags him away.

Dwight takes Daryl outside and shows him the compound’s fence-line. They watch as two workers secure a new walker outside -- it’s the red-headed man from the marketplace. Dwight says Daryl will be forced to work in the yard if he doesn’t make the right choices.

Back in his cell, Daryl tells Dwight that he will never kneel for Negan. “I said that, too.” Dwight replies. He shuts the door. The sound of the lock is heard and the music resumes.

Daryl desperately probes the cell walls and kicks the door.

Negan tells Dwight that it’s working slow, but it’s working: “Some people are harder to break than others.” He commends Dwight and offers to let him sleep with one of his wives. Dwight politely declines, angering Negan. But then a voice comes over his walkie, notifying him of a runaway worker. Negan tells Dwight to send someone else to take care of the grunt work, but he assures Negan he enjoys doing it.

Dwight leaves the compound on his motorcycle.

Back in Daryl’s cell, the music plays on - the same song on repeat. Joey brings him a sandwich. He shuts the door, and this time, the sound of the lock isn’t heard. Daryl waits… then sneaks out and creeps down the hallway.

Meanwhile, Dwight walks his motorcycle through a herd of maimed walkers crawling on a highway. A walker falls from the overpass above. Dwight dives out of the way, struggles with a walker and shoots it.

Daryl moves quietly down a corridor. Sherry stops him and urges him to go back to his cell or risk getting captured and suffering worse consequences. He ignores her and makes his way outside. He makes a beeline for some parked motorcycles but is stopped by a group of Saviors who anticipated his escape. Negan appears. “Are we pissing our pants yet?” he asks, tauntingly.

Negan asks the Saviors surrounding Daryl who they are. They all respond, “Negan.” He tells Daryl that he failed his chance to prove he’s ready for the next step. Negan presents three options: Death, working for points, or working for Negan and living like a king. Daryl doesn’t reply. Negan swings Lucille at Daryl, stopping just short of hitting him, but Daryl doesn’t flinch which Negan admired. Negan leaves as the Saviors beat Daryl.

Back on the road, Dwight spots Gordon, the runaway worker, and tackles him to the ground.

Sherry stops by Daryl’s cell and apologizes for stealing his motorcycle and crossbow in the woods.

Dwight leads Gordon back toward the Savior compound. Gordon begs Dwight to shoot him and wonders why everyone lets Negan, one man, frighten them into submission. He finally agrees to return to the compound after Dwight threatens to hurt his loved ones. As Gordon starts walking, Dwight shoots him dead.

Once Dwight is back at the compound, he finds Sherry in a stairwell and they smoke cigarettes together. “Is he good to you?” Dwight asks. “Yeah,” she says. “We did the right thing,” he tells her, “it’s a hell of a lot better than being dead.”

Dwight opens Daryl’s cell door and gives him food. He doesn’t eat it this time. Dwight tapes a gruesome Polaroid photo on Daryl’s wall and leaves. Daryl throws the photo on the floor then picks it up, he looks at it and cries, seeing Glenn’s dead body. Dwight hears him sobbing from the hallway and slightly smiles and walks away.

Dwight wakes Daryl and leads him to an efficiency apartment where Negan awaits. Negan explains to Daryl how Dwight became one of his top men. Dwight, Sherry and her sister Tina used to work for points. When Tina fell behind on points, on account of her costly medication, he asked her to marry him. Dwight, Sherry and Tina stole the medicine and ran away.

They returned after Tina’s death. Dwight asked for forgiveness and begged Negan not to kill Sherry. Sherry offered to marry Negan if he spared Dwight’s life. He agreed — after burning Dwight’s face with an iron. Dwight has been on board ever since.

Negan tells Daryl he can be one of his top men and he can live in this apartment. “All you’ve got to do, is answer one, simple question: Who are you?” Negan asks Daryl. “Who are you?” he asks again. After a long silence, Daryl responds with his own name.

Back in Daryl’s cell, Dwight yells at him for jeopardizing his own life. “I get why you did it, why you took it,” says Daryl. “You were thinking about someone else. That’s why I can’t.”

Outside, Dwight chucks his beer bottle and watches two workers secure a new walker to the fence-line: it’s Gordon. He claws at the fence.

Michonne and Rick lie in bed, back to back. Michonne turns and gazes at Rick, whom she believes is sleeping, before quietly slipping out of bed. She gets dressed and retrieves a hidden sniper rifle from the living room fireplace. Rick quietly watches as she leaves the house with her katana and rifle.

Michonne sits on top of a rusty truck in the middle of a field. She scans her surroundings; the rifle rests on her lap.

Rosita and Spencer drive up to the gate, preparing to leave for a supply run. Spencer asks Eugene if he would like to help. Eugene states he is repairing a portable audio system for The Saviors. Just then, Negan arrives with a large group of Saviors; Daryl is among them, looking injured and pale. Negan demands to be let in, Spencer opens the gate for them. Rick meets Negan at the gate and notes that he came earlier than planned. Negan strides into Alexandria and thrusts Lucille into Rick’s hands, saying, “Hold this”.

Rick tries to check in with Daryl, whose face is swollen and bruised, but Negan forbids Rick or any of the Alexandrians from speaking to him otherwise they will face consequences. Rick tells Negan that they already set aside half of their supplies, but Negan says he’ll be the one to decide which supplies to take. Arat, one of Negan’s lieutenants, orders the Saviors to start searching the houses. Dwight confiscates the guns of Rosita and Spencer, and, after taunting them by taking Rosita's hat and pouring her water out, saying "Don't take too long", he orders them to bring back Daryl’s motorcycle. Rosita and Spencer leave Alexandria.

In the field, Michonne sits patiently on the rusty truck, waiting. When a walker comes into view, she aims her rifle at it and shoots, missing numerous times. She kills the walker out of frustration with her katana.

Back in Alexandria, Saviors haul furniture out of residents’ homes. Negan inquires about Maggie’s whereabouts. Gabriel suddenly appears, asking if Negan wants to pay his respects. “She didn’t make it?” Negan asks. Rick says nothing but nods hesitantly. Gabriel leads Negan to the graveyard where Glenn, Abraham and, supposedly, Maggie are now buried. Negan rues Maggie’s death, saying he’d planned on asking her to join him as his wife at his compound. Rick quietly seethes with anger and tightens his grip on Lucille, but swiftly relaxes. Moments after they hear a gunshot.

In the infirmary, Carl holds David, a Savior, at gunpoint. He orders David to return some of the medicine he took. Rick begs Carl to lower his gun. Negan jokes about Carl's fearlessness, and Carl finally complies after Negan threatens to harm more people. As a precaution, Negan declares that he’s confiscating all the guns in Alexandria.

Olivia takes a group of Saviors to the armory. Negan tells Rick he’ll leave their food untouched to ensure that they remain strong enough to collect for him. Negan commands Rick to thank him, but Rick refuses. Negan says that Rick is the one who forced Negan's hand and that is why he should thank him. Negan asks if anyone keeps guns outside of the armory. Rick assures him that all their guns are kept in storage.

Out in the woods, Rosita and Spencer find Daryl’s motorcycle where they had previously hidden it. Spencer begins to question Rick's leadership, unaware that Rosita is heading into the woods as Spencer loads the motorcycle into their van.

Arat informs Negan that two guns are missing from the armory. A dissapointed Negan threatens to kill Olivia if Rick doesn’t find the missing guns. Rick calls a meeting with the residents of Alexandria in an attempt to locate the missing guns. Ignoring the question about the missing guns, Eric asks Rick how he plans to get them out of their situation with Negan. Rick emphasizes that there’s no way out; Negan is in charge. He asks if anyone has the guns. Eugene notes that some people are absent from the meeting.

Rosita hunts down the undead Saviors present during Denise's death and kills them. She takes a gun from Neil's corpse but it has no bullets. Spencer tracks her down and chastises her. Rosita tells him that she’s looking for guns on the assumption that Negan will confiscate all the guns in Alexandria.

While Rick, Gabriel and Aaron search Spencer’s house for the missing guns, Rick commends Gabriel on his ruse regarding Maggie with Negan earlier at the graveyard: “It was quick thinking. Thank you”. Gabriel is optimistic that they will prevail in the end, despite Rick's insistence that there is no way out. Rick then finds the missing guns stashed in the floor air vent of Spencer’s house, along with stolen food and liquor.

Outside, David taunts Enid in the street, stroking her face and making a scene. Rick brings the missing guns to Negan. Rosita and Spencer return as Negan gathers his group at the gate. Rick sees Michonne lurking in a dilapidated house nearby, watching them. Rick asks Negan if he can give him "a second." Negan pointedly refuses and Rick rephrases; "Please can you just give me a second." Negan permits Rick to speak with Michonne.

Rick tells Michonne that he knows about her secret rifle and that he knew that she was using it for target practice sessions. He urges her to hand over the rifle, arguing that more people will die if the Saviors find an Alexandrian with a gun.

Rick gives Negan Michonne’s rifle, making up a cover story for her saying she was out hunting. Rick then goes on to ask if Daryl can stay in Alexandria, since they’ve followed the rules and gave Negan half of their supplies. Negan asks Daryl if he wants to stay. Daryl remains obediently silent.

Dwight takes the motorcycle from Spencer and rides up to Daryl and says "You can have it back, just say the word". Daryl remains silent and Dwight smirks and drives off.

Negan refuses to leave Alexandria until Rick thanks him. “Thank you,” Rick concedes. A walker approaches and Negan turns to kill it. Rick once again tightens his grip on Lucille as he contemplates killing Negan, but decides against it. Negan retrieves Lucille on his way out, saying that he can't forget her. The Saviors leave with half of the Alexandrians’ belongings, and Daryl, in tow.

Rick closes the gate and privately chews out Spencer for hoarding supplies - saying that he is small, weak and that he has gotten lucky. Spencer says they should’ve made a deal with Negan when they had the chance; he then blames Rick for Glenn and Abraham’s deaths. Rick threatens to break Spencer's jaw and knock his teeth out if he says anything like that to Rick again.

Rosita confronts Spencer about the hidden guns and asks why he didn’t mention them. “You saw what I did to get one,” she says. Spencer explains that he hid the guns for a while because he didn’t trust Rick and he was worried about Rick being in charge. He muses that Rosita was correct; they don't have to live like they are. When he leaves, Rosita reaches into the wheel well of her car, retrieving the gun she took from Neil in the woods.

Rick spreads blankets on the bedroom floor at home, mentioning that the Saviors took most of their mattresses. Michonne assures Rick that she doesn’t have any more secret guns. She reminds him that they’ve survived as long as they have because they always fight back, but Rick says there are too many Saviors -- “it’s about the numbers.” Michonne mentions the Hilltop, but Rick says that even with the Hilltop, they're still outnumbered. Brooding, he reveals his past with Shane and his thoughts on Judith not being his daughter, explaining that he's learned to accept that in order to keep her alive. He tells Michonne that she has to learn to accept their situation with Negan - they all do - or it won’t work. “This is how we live now,” he says. Michonne says she’ll try to accept it.

Michonne returns to the rusty truck in the grassy field. She sees a wisp of smoke in the distance and goes to investigate. She finds all the mattresses from Alexandria dumped and smoldering on the side of the road, and rages with anger.

In Alexandria, Rosita picks up an empty shell casing from the floor and pays Eugene a visit. “Make me a bullet,” she says.

Maggie’s eyes flutter open. She looks weak, but healthier than before. She’s in Dr. Carson’s medical trailer at The Hilltop. He informs her that she suffered from Abruptio Placentae, a separation of the placenta from the uterus, but that the baby is fine. Dr. Carson advises her to rest and remain at The Hilltop for the duration of her pregnancy.

Maggie asks Sasha where Glenn and Abraham are buried. Maggie kneels by Glenn’s grave. Sasha gives her Glenn’s pocket watch; Maggie places it on Glenn’s grave as a marker. Sasha offers to stay at The Hilltop with Maggie. Jesus approaches, and places flowers on the graves.

Gregory arrives and demands to know why Maggie’s people didn’t wipe out all The Saviors, and whether they know about his deal with Rick. He tells Maggie and Sasha to burn Glenn and Abraham’s bodies and orders them to leave The Hilltop by morning. Gregory tells Jesus that if they leave, he has plausible deniability, and The Saviors won’t think they colluded to take down their outpost.

Back in Alexandria, Rick tries convincing Carl to join him and Aaron on a supply run for The Saviors, but Carl refuses to bow down. Rick tells Michonne they’re heading north for the supply run, handing her a walkie in case she changes her mind. They kiss and go their separate ways.

Something outside the window catches Carl’s eye. Carl finds Enid scaling the perimeter wall. She tells him she’s going to see Maggie at The Hilltop. Carl tells her she shouldn’t go, but that he won’t stop her.

Sasha makes her bed in Jesus’s trailer, where she and Maggie are staying the night. She asks Jesus to change Gregory’s mind and offers to earn Maggie’s keep by scavenging for The Hilltop. Jesus gives her Abraham’s brake light necklace.

Enid rides a bike down an empty road, where she encounters a walker. Out of nowhere, a car rams into the walker and crashes into a nearby post. Enid finds Carl behind the steering wheel.

Maggie and Sasha wake up in the middle of the night and see fires blazing outside. Music blares from a parked car. The Hilltop gates are wide open and four of the guards have been tied up and are dangling from the platform. The trailer’s door and windows are locked, Sasha and Maggie climb out through the sunroof. They see walkers flooding in through the front gate, drawn by the music.

Jesus helps Sasha kill walkers. Sasha tries to stop the music but finds the car sealed off with metal grates. She sees a metal hand with an extended middle finger attached to the back of the car — a memento from the Saviors, who are behind the attack.

Maggie shouts orders to Kal and Eduardo, organizing their defenses and rescuing the guards. She drives a large tractor into the courtyard, mowing down walkers. She plows the tractor onto the car, destroying it and putting a stop to the music.

The next day, Enid and Carl walk down a road. Carl tells her he watched as Negan killed Glenn and Abraham because he needed that memory. He knew it would motivate him to kill Negan.

Gregory thanks Maggie and Sasha for saving The Hilltop but still refuses to let them stay. He slyly offers to work something out with Sasha one-on-one. “Go to hell,” Maggie says. They’re interrupted by the sound vehicles arriving in the courtyard. Gregory tells Jesus to hide Sasha and Maggie in the closet.

Simon leads a group of twenty Saviors into The Hilltop.

Carl finds roller skates in a backpack on the side of the road. He and Enid hold hands and smile as they skate down the road.

The Saviors stride into Barrington House. In the study, Simon tells Gregory they unleashed the walkers on The Hilltop to remind its residents that walkers are still a threat and the Saviors provide a great service by killing them. He informs Gregory that The Saviors at the outpost were killed. Gregory pretends this is news to him. Simon says he’ll be Gregory’s new liaison and asks if there’s anything Gregory wants to tell him. “Actually, there is,” says Gregory.

He leads Simon to the foyer closet and opens it with the intention of handing over Maggie and Sasha. Instead, he finds boxes of scotch. Simon says Negan will be pleased and orders a nearby Savior to put the liquor in Negan's truck. On his way out, Simon orders Gregory to kneel, which he does with little resistance. The Saviors leave.

Carl and Enid reach The Hilltop and see Saviors loading up their trucks. Enid realizes that Carl left Alexandria not to accompany her, but to track down Negan and kill him. She asks Carl not to go, but he sticks to his mission. They kiss.

Jesus releases Maggie and Sasha from Gregory’s bedroom closet. Gregory yells at Jesus for hiding them there instead of the foyer closet. Jesus stands up to Gregory and forces him to let Maggie and Sasha stay. Jesus threatens to reveal Gregory’s deal with Alexandria, stripping him of his plausible deniability. Suddenly, Maggie punches Gregory in the face, reaches into his pocket and takes Glenn’s watch, which Gregory stole from the grave.

Jesus tells Maggie and Sasha that initially, he couldn’t imagine anyone but Gregory running The Hilltop. “I can now,” he says cryptically. Maggie leaves. Sasha asks Jesus to find out where Negan lives, but to keep it a secret from Maggie. Jesus agrees to follow the truck that’s heading back to The Saviors’ compound.

Maggie finds Enid sitting at Glenn’s grave and they hug. Enid cooks dinner for Maggie in Jesus’s trailer. Sasha joins them. Maggie gives the pocket watch to Enid, saying they don’t need objects to remember their dead. “We have us,” she says. They sit around the table, take each other’s hands and pray.

The Saviors leave The Hilltop. Jesus sneaks into the truck that’s bound for their compound. He hears a voice say, “Hey,” and looks towards the back of the truck to see Carl peeking out from behind some boxes.

A young girl, Rachel, kills a walker on the beach. She spots another body and, assuming it’s a soon-to-be-walker, moves in for the kill. Her older companion, Cyndie, stops Rachel, realizing the person, Tara, is still alive, but just unconscious. Rachel reminds Cyndie that they’re supposed to kill all strangers that they encounter, but Cyndie persuades Rachel to spare Tara’s life. Cyndie drags Tara’s body up the beach.

In a flashback, Heath and Tara eat in the RV at the end of a two-week scavenging mission. Heath proposes they head back to Alexandria, but Tara insists they keep scavenging for ammo and medicine. Heath laments killing the Saviors at the satellite station -- he realizes everyone’s looking out for themselves and “nobody’s in this together.” He reluctantly agrees to scavenge for one more day before heading home.

Cyndie reads in her bedroom and looks at the clock.

Cyndie later returns to the beach and finds Tara asleep in the hiding spot where she left her. She leaves water, fish and a spear next to Tara then walks away. Tara, who had only been pretending to sleep, follows Cyndie into the woods.

Tara follows Cyndie through a secret entrance to a bustling village, which is inhabited by a large group of women. Young girls run around and play as twowomen chat as they bring laundry inside a house. All of the sudden, as Tara watches from behind a house, several women herd the children indoors. The older girls and adults begin arming themselves and organizing. As Tara looks on, one of the women turns and fires at her.

Tara flees from the gunshots and takes one of the women down, knocking her out. Rachel steps in front of Tara and is about to shoot her when Cyndie again intervenes. More women emerge from the woods, surrounding Tara, holding her at gunpoint. The leader, Natania, orders Cyndie to step away from Tara.

In a flashback, Heath and Tara cautiously move forward on a barricaded bridge blocked with cargo containers, cars, and tarps. They come across a large pile of packed sand. Tara tugs at a duffel bag lodged in the sediment. Heath tries to stop her, but it’s too late: The mound collapses, releasing a herd of walkers that was trapped inside. The sand walkers launch themselves at Tara and Heath. As Tara falls, it seems that Heath abandons her to die.

In the present, Tara sits handcuffed to a radiator. Natania walks into the room, joined by Kathy and Beatrice, and starts interrogating Tara about her background. Tara lies and doesn’t say anything about Alexandria when asked where she’s from, instead she tells them she was from Atlanta. She says she was traveling with a friend who had worked with her on a fishing boat. She fell off a bridge after they were attacked by walkers and eventually washed up on shore. She offers to leave their settlement, but Natania worries that she knows too much.

That evening, Natania invites Tara to dine with her, Cyndie (her granddaughter), Kathy and Beatrice. They remove Tara’s handcuffs at the dinner table. Over dinner, Natania invites Tara and her friend to reside at their settlement to ensure they never reveal their location to anyone. Tara observes that there are no men in the settlement. Natania explains that the men were all killed in a skirmish with another group, after which the women decided to relocate their home and stay hidden. Tara confesses that she comes from a community that killed a threatening group at an old satellite station. She suggests their groups band together. Natania agrees to send a guide with Tara to find Heath and meet with her community.

The next day, Tara leaves the settlement with Kathy and Beatrice. As she passes a group of women and children at the outdoor tables, Rachel spits at Tara's feet, to which Tara flips her off.

In the woods, Tara catches on to the real plan: Kathy and Beatrice are going to kill her. When a walker appears, Tara volunteers to kill it and seizes her opportunity to flee. Beatrice catches up with Tara. After a struggle, Beatrice has Tara dead to rights, at gunpoint. Tara pleads that she has to get back to her friends, but Beatrice tells her it’s too late, assuring Tara that her people are dead. The Saviors at the satellite station were only a fraction of their force.

“You can’t stop them,” Beatrice warns, explaining that her group tried to fight the Saviors too. When the Saviors won, they lined up every man and boy over 10, and shot them in the head. Beatrice explains that rather than work for Negan, they vanished and hid. She tells Tara “we can’t let you lead them back to us,” but before she can pull the trigger, Cyndie tackles Beatrice to the ground.

“Run!” Cyndie yells at Tara.

Cyndie catches up with Tara and makes her swear to keep her settlement a secret, to which Tara agrees. Cyndie gives Tara a backpack with food and water and offers to take her to the bridge where she last saw Heath. Cyndie accompanies Tara to the bridge and refuses to leave until Tara safely crosses. As Tara makes her way across the bridge, a herd of walkers emerges from behind a tarp. Cyndie shoots them down from the top of a car as Tara looks for Heath but is unable to find him.

In a flashback, Tara is surrounded by the sand walkers. It looks like there’s no hope for escape, when Heath suddenly lays down gunfire to save her. He didn’t abandon her after all. Seeing Heath become overrun by walkers as his gun runs out of bullets, Tara tries to make her way over to help him, but she’s caught struggling with walkers. He insists that she go, but she refuses. “We’re in this together!” she yells, before the walkers shove her back and she tumbles over the side of the bridge.

In the present, Tara safely crosses the bridge. She finds Heath’s broken glasses and some tire tracks in the dirt. She picks up a badge that says “PPP” and puts it in her pocket.

Tara makes her way back toward Alexandria on foot. She camps out in a gift shop and eats the food that Cyndie gave her.

Tara reaches Alexandria’s front gate, to which Eugene greets her with a broken expression. Tara’s face falls as she realizes something is terribly wrong and soon finds out about the deaths of her friends.

Tara sits in the infirmary, despondent over the news of Denise’s death. Determined to seek revenge on the Saviors, Rosita asks Tara if she has any leads on guns or ammo. Tara keeps her word to Cyndie and tells Rosita that she didn’t find anything during her scouting mission.

Michonne walks down a single-lane road, whistling to attract walkers. She kills two walkers she's lured and drags their bodies away.

Rick and Aaron emerge from a box truck. "We didn't see that last night," Aaron says, looking at something on the road.

Two Saviors sit in the back of a cargo truck as they wait for a nearby walker herd to thin out. After the herd is gone, they get in the cab and continue on to Negan's compound.

Carl and Jesus emerge from their hiding spots in the back of the cargo truck. Jesus pours syrup on the ground behind the truck, leaving a trail. He proposes they jump out of the moving truck and follow on foot. Carl is hesitant and asks Jesus to show him how it's done. Jesus leaps out; he sees Carl waving goodbye, from the truck, and realizes he's been played.

Carl picks up a machine gun as the cargo truck slows to a stop. He hears voices outside, immediately recognizing Negan's. Carl emerges from his hiding spot as Saviors unload the truck; he opens fire and takes one down. He aims the gun at Negan, who calmly says "You look adorable," as he uses a nearby Savior as a shield.

Carl shoots another Savior, but Dwight tackles him before he can do any further damage. Daryl watches helplessly from the other side of the walker-encrusted fence.

Negan tells Dwight to back off and offers to show Carl around the compound. Carl refuses but complies after Negan threatens to chop off Daryl's arm.

From a catwalk, Negan addresses the crowd kneeling on the factory floor. He announces that the Saviors secured a big load of goods and everyone will get fresh vegetables at dinner, regardless of how many points they have. Everyone cheers. He whispers to Carl, "You see that? Respect."

In Alexandria, Eugene joins Rosita for a supply run only to learn that she has no intention of scavenging for Negan. Spencer warns Rosita that they must produce for the Saviors as part of their new "tax." Rosita ignores him and leaves with Eugene.

Negan takes Carl to a nicely appointed room and introduces him to his "harem." Negan pulls Sherry aside; she reluctantly concedes that Mark, a Savior, shirked his work duties to be with Amber, one of Negan's wives. Sherry asks Negan to go easy on Amber.

Negan admonishes Amber for cheating on him; she tears up and assures Negan that she loves him. Negan boasts to Sherry that he went easy on Amber, and then kisses her; Dwight arrives with Daryl in tow, and witnesses the kiss. Daryl carries a snack platter for Negan.

Rick and Aaron approach a gate with a sign: "Keep going, only thing here for you is trouble." Feeling the pressure of only having one day left to find supplies, they hop the gate.

Out scavenging, Spencer and Gabriel drive down an empty road. Spencer complains that Rick is a bad leader. He admits that he hopes Rick doesn't make it back from his supply run. Gabriel reaffirms his belief in Rick, calls Spencer a "tremendous shit," and walks back to Alexandria.

Spencer gets out of the car, hears a walker nearby, and runs into the woods. He finds a walker stuck in a hunter's tree stand.

Negan takes Carl to his apartment; he orders Carl to sit across from him and remove his hat and eye bandage. "That is disgusting," he says, seeing Carl's scarred eye socket. Humiliated, Carl starts crying. Negan apologizes for hurting his feelings.

Fat Joey stops by Negan's apartment to give him Lucille, which Negan left by the cargo truck. Negan tells Carl that his eye is "rad as hell" and advises Carl to leave the bandage off so nobody will mess with him. He orders Carl to sing him a song. Carl's resistance is thwarted, and he starts to sing. Negan asks about Carl's mother. Carl explains that he shot her to prevent her from turning.

Saviors gather around a furnace on the factory floor, where Mark is tied to a chair. Negan reiterates the importance of rules then brands Mark's face with a hot iron as punishment for his infraction. Mark screams in agony and passes out.

Spencer lassos a compound bow from the walker in the tree. The walker falls to the ground. Spencer searches its pockets and finds a note written in Latin.

Rosita takes Eugene to the factory that he had previously recommended for bullet manufacturing. She orders him to make her a bullet using the shell she found in Alexandria. Eugene hesitates and says that a single bullet "Ain't gonna do it," against the Saviors — they have the numbers. Rosita calls him a coward and demands a bullet. Eugene quietly gets to work.

Dwight and Sherry smoke cigarettes in a stairwell. She recalls that their deal with Negan was only supposed to affect them. Dwight points out that if you're still alive, it's always at someone else's expense.

Back in Negan's apartment, Carl taunts Negan for being unable to kill him, Rick, or Daryl. Negan suggests they take a car ride.

Negan and Carl prepare to leave in the cargo truck. On their way out, Daryl warns Negan against hurting Carl. Negan tells Dwight to put Daryl back in his cell and drives off. Jesus, who'd been hiding on top of the truck, stays behind at the compound.

Daryl hears footsteps outside his cell. Someone slips a note under the door. "Go now," is written on the front, and a key is taped to the back.

A Savior drives down a road; she's forced to stop when she reaches a barricade of walker corpses. As the Savior investigates, Michonne sneaks up on her, katana drawn. "Take me to Negan," Michonne orders. The Savior submits, having fallen into Michonne's trap.

Negan and Carl knock on Rick's door in Alexandria. Olivia answers and nervously tells Negan that Rick is out scavenging and might not return that day. Negan crudely proposes sexual relations with Olivia while they wait for Rick. Olivia slaps him.

Negan takes a tour of Rick's house. He enjoys the feel of the carpet on his bare feet and the various conveniences. Carl tries to keep him away from Judith's bedroom, but Negan opens the door and discovers her nursery. He takes Judith out of her crib.

Rick and Aaron encounter another warning sign; this time, the writer threatens to shoot anyone who comes for his food, supplies, or ammo. They move past the sign and reach a pond filled with walkers. They see a dilapidated houseboat floating in the center of the pond.

As they approach Alexandria, Rosita thanks Eugene for making a bullet. Spencer drives up and reveals a bounty of supplies and weapons. He explains that he found a note describing a list of caches. He whistles towards the gate. A Savior opens it. Rosita realizes that Negan is in Alexandria.

Negan and Carl sit on Rick's front porch. Negan rocks Judith in his lap as he contemplates killing Rick and Carl, maybe even settling in the suburbs. Negan smiles and kisses Judith's nose.

In the early morning, Maggie sits alone by Glenn’s grave. She assumes her post at the Hilltop’s front gate with Eduardo. Gregory approaches and warns her not to let her popularity with Hilltop residents get to her head.

In Alexandria, Negan enjoys a shave in Rick’s bathroom.

At the Saviors’ compound, Daryl escapes his cell.

Negan cooks spaghetti in Rick’s kitchen.

Out on the porch, Tara hands Olivia a canister of powdered lemonade and offers to take her place inside. Olivia declines, saying she promised to watch Judith. She steels herself and enters the house. Negan sits at the head of the table and tells Carl to place a setting for Rick. Olivia pours lemonade for Negan.

At the walker-filled pond, Rick and Aaron find a boat riddled with bullet holes. They decide to row the boat to the canoe in the middle of the pond. Negan, Carl and Olivia eat in silence. Negan says he’s tired of waiting for Rick.

A Savior rummages through the goods that Spencer collected and commends his hard work. A female Savior named Laura sidles up to Spencer and offers to show him their compound, if he plays his cards right. She catches Eugene watching them and calls him out.

Carol reads in her cottage. She hears a noise outside and sees Morgan leaving a sack of produce on her porch. She invites Morgan inside and reveals that Ezekiel has also been bringing her produce. Richard stops by to speak with them.

Rick and Aaron paddle the sinking boat; they’re surrounded by walkers. As they reach the canoe, a walker pulls Aaron underwater. Aaron escapes and swims to the houseboat. Rick paddles the canoe to the houseboat and docks it.

Daryl sneaks down the hallways of the Saviors’ compound. He hears Saviors approaching and ducks into Dwight’s apartment. Inside, he devours a jar of peanut butter, changes into Dwight’s clothes and listens to the Saviors in the hall. He notices Dwight’s carved figurines on a table.

Rick and Aaron rummage through supplies on the houseboat. Aaron finds a note with a drawing of a middle finger: “Congrats for winning, but you still lose.”

Daryl hears the Saviors leave the hallway. He seizes the moment and flees the apartment, but not before smashing Dwight’s carved figurines.

Rick and Aaron get the houseboat to shore and load the cargo truck with supplies. Rick mentions how Michonne feels about their deal with the Saviors -- that it isn’t living. Aaron says he knows they’re doing this to stay alive: “Either your heart is beating or it isn’t.” They finish loading the truck and prepare to leave. Someone in mismatched boots watches them from across the pond.

Michonne holds the female Savior she’s abducted at gunpoint and forces her to drive towards Negan’s compound. She asks Isabelle why she was alone in the woods but she doesn’t answer.

In their trailer, Sasha tells Maggie that a resident’s daughter thinks Maggie should run for President of Hilltop. Maggie asks after Jesus; She wants him to pick up school supplies for the children. Sasha reveals he left for a supply run that morning. Maggie leaves to get milk. Enid calls Sasha out for lying to Maggie about Jesus and guesses that she’s planning to kill Negan. Sasha urges Enid to keep her mission a secret from Maggie; Sasha knows Maggie would want to help.

Richard reveals his fears to Carol and Morgan; He doesn’t think the Kingdom can coexist with the Saviors. He believes they will inevitably destroy the Kingdom. Richard asks Carol and Morgan to help him convince Ezekiel to strike first.

In the church, Gabriel urges Rosita to refrain from attacking Negan by herself. He recommends she wait for the right moment so the community can take him down together.

Back at the Saviors’ compound, Daryl flees down a hallway and grabs a pipe.

Carol refuses to help Richard and insists on being left alone. Morgan hesitates to disrupt the peace with the Saviors. Richard dejectedly leaves. Carol tells Morgan to leave and forbids him from telling anyone where she is.

At home, Spencer dresses up in nice clothes. “Hi,” he rehearses in front of a mirror. He grabs a bottle of liquor and heads outside.

Richard enters a camper trailer hidden in the woods. He hurls an empty milk bottle and cries.

Spencer stops by Rosita’s house and reveals that he’s planning to get close to Negan so he can strike against him at some point in the future. Rosita agrees to join him for dinner afterwards.

Daryl escapes the building and runs into Fat Joey. Fat Joey surrenders and pleads for his life, but Daryl beats him to death with the pipe. Jesus finds Daryl in the midst of bashing in Fat Joey’s head. Daryl grabs Joey’s gun (Rick’s Colt Python) and hops on a motorcycle. Daryl and Jesus leave the compound.

Spencer walks to Rick’s house and introduces himself to Negan.

Isabelle stops the car and the women can see hundreds of Saviors gathered in the distance. Isabelle tells Michonne an attack against Negan would be pointless. “We’re all Negan,” she says, then tells Michonne to shoot her and get rid of the car. Michonne does.

Rick and Aaron arrive at the Alexandria gate and are surprised to be greeted by Saviors, who inspect the goods that Rick and Aaron brought back.

Negan shares a drink with Spencer on the porch and pines for a pool table. Spencer tells him where to find one.

The Saviors unload Rick and Aaron’s cargo truck and find the “congrats for winning, but you still lose” sign. Enraged at the disrespect, one of the Saviors beats Aaron, believing the note was intended for them. Rick tries to intervene but is stopped by Gary and Laura.

As Negan and Spencer play pool in the middle of the street, residents gather around to watch with Rosita, Eugene, Tara, Gabriel, Tobin, Eric, Scott, and Bob among them. Spencer tells Negan that Rick’s ego is out of control and proposes that Negan appoint Spencer the new leader of Alexandria.

Negan considers Spencer’s betrayal. He points out that Rick is swallowing his hatred to gather goods for Negan so he won’t kill anyone else. “That takes guts,” he says. Negan wonders aloud why Spencer doesn’t just kill Rick himself instead of sneaking around. Negan answers his own question: “It’s because you’ve got no guts,” he says as he plunges a knife into Spencer’s abdomen, disemboweling him. “There they are. They were inside you the whole time,” Negan jokes as Spencer’s guts spill out onto the asphalt. Rosita whips out her gun and shoots at Negan. The bullet hits Lucille instead. A Savior, Arat, wrestles Rosita to the ground and holds her at knifepoint. Negan picks up the bullet casing and realizes it’s homemade. He demands to know who made the bullet. Rosita claims she made it herself as she presses her cheek against Arat’s knife, cutting her own face. Negan calls her bluff. He orders Arat to kill someone. She turns and shoots Olivia dead as Rosita screams, “It was me!” Rick shows up at the scene and tells Negan to leave. Negan agrees to go as soon as he learns who made the bullet. Tara confesses to making the bullet. As the Saviors turn their guns on her, Eugene steps up and admits it was him. Negan and his crew leave with Eugene in tow. Spencer starts to reanimate, and Rick stabs him.

That night, Michonne informs Rick that there are more Saviors than they thought, but that they should still fight, for Judith, for Carl, for Alexandria and the Hilltop: “For all of us.” “I know that now,” Rick agrees.

Maggie stands guard at the Hilltop gate. She sees something in the distance and smiles. Rick, Michonne, Carl, Rosita and Tara enter the Hilltop and reunite with Maggie, Sasha and Enid. Rick admits that Maggie was right all along -- they have to get ready to fight. Daryl and Jesus come out to greet them. Daryl gives Rick the gun he retrieved from Fat Joey. Together, they stride towards the mansion.

Gabriel keeps night watch at the Alexandria gate. Someone watches him through binoculars. A dark figure in mismatched boots lurks in the darkness, then heads towards Alexandria.

Gabriel reads his bible during his night shift at the Alexandria gate. He stares into the darkness, a worried expression on his face, and leaves his post.

In the pantry, Gabriel hurriedly fills crates with food and weapons. His bible falls to the ground as he skims through the weapons registry with shaky hands. He loads the crates into a car and leaves Alexandria. A dark figure is visible in the passenger seat.

Meanwhile, Rick, Maggie, Sasha, Carl, Michonne, Tara, Rosita, Daryl and Jesus meet with Gregory in his office at the Hilltop. He refuses to help them in the fight against the Saviors. Gregory tells the survivors that they owe him twice over -- for not killing the Saviors as promised, and for his personal risk in harboring Maggie and Sasha.

They exit the library and Enid leads them to the courtyard, where a group of Hilltop residents offers to join the fight against the Saviors.

Daryl reasons that they may not need a large army – if they find the right supplies, they can “blow ‘em up.” Tara brings up the fact that there are civilians inside the Sanctuary. Rick suggests they return to Alexandria before the Saviors arrive looking for Daryl. Jesus reveals a long-range walkie-talkie stolen from the Saviors; they can listen in and hear if Negan dispatches his men to Alexandria. He then proposes they visit King Ezekiel.

Jesus leads Rick’s group to a decayed parking lot. Richard and another Kingdom guard arrive on horseback. Jesus makes introductions and explains that they have similar interests. After some hesitation, Richard invites them to follow him.

Richard, assuming Rick is interested in becoming a trade partner, confides in Jesus. He stresses their need to battle the Saviors. Jesus assures Richard that he has good news.

Richard takes Rick’s group inside the Kingdom, where they reunite with Morgan. Morgan keeps his word; he admits to Rick and Daryl that he found Carol, but says that she subsequently left the Kingdom without revealing her location.

Richard takes Rick’s group to the theater, where they meet King Ezekiel. Rick asks Ezekiel to help them fight the Saviors. Ezekiel reprimands Jesus for telling Rick about his deal with the Saviors. They plead their case; in the process, Richard urges Ezekiel to fight the Saviors before things get worse, Morgan – asked for his opinion by Ezekiel himself – advises that they must find a non-violent course.

Ezekiel agrees to give Rick his decision in the morning and invites them to stay the night.

Benjamin runs into Carol in the woods while practicing his walker-fighting skills. She gives him advice on staying quiet and tells him to go home.

Ezekiel puts Henry, Benjamin’s younger brother, down to bed. Benjamin urges Ezekiel to help Rick’s group fight against the Saviors. Ezekiel thanks him for his counsel.

The next morning, Ezekiel explains to Rick that even though the Kingdom seems idyllic, they had to fight for it. He lost many people in a battle against the walkers, that’s why he refuses to violate the peace he holds with the Saviors. However, he offers Daryl asylum within the Kingdom walls.

Rick’s group makes their way out of the Kingdom. Sasha vents to Rosita about Ezekiel. Rosita blows her off and refuses to be friends just because they both slept with Abraham. Rick explains to Richard that they don’t have the numbers to take out even one outpost. Richard realizes it’s not just about the numbers; they’re making the Saviors stronger every day by providing food, weapons and supplies. Rick urges Daryl to stay behind for his own safety, and to potentially change Ezekiel’s mind.

On the drive back to Alexandria, they encounter a blockade of cars on the highway, set up by the Saviors. They start moving the cars out of the way. Michonne peers through her binoculars and spots something down the highway.

Rick’s group finds a tripwire rigged across the road; a steel cable is stretched between two cars on opposite sides of the road, explosives carefully strung along the cable. Carl recalls Saviors talking about a tripwire trap for a large herd of walkers. Rosita leads an effort to dismantle the explosives so they can take the dynamite and RPGs with them.

Rick’s group hears Negan’s voice over the walkie. Negan dispatches a search party to Alexandria. As they hurry to dismantle the tripwire, the large herd approaches down the road.

Rick explains that they want the herd to stay on the highway because they may need it. As Rosita, Tara and Carl work to block the onramp again, the herd surrounds them. Rick tells Jesus and Sasha to return to the Hilltop, then Rick and Michonne hotwire the two cars holding the steel cable for the tripwire. They drive on opposite sides of the herd, slicing walkers with the cord. They make their way to the SUV and join Rosita, Carl and Tara. As the SUV drives off, some leftover dynamite explodes amidst the herd behind them. As Rick and Michonne catch their breath in the back of the car, she assures him they can make it. “We’re the ones who live,” she says.

Rick’s group returns to Alexandria moments before Simon arrives with a group of Saviors. Rick innocently wonders why they are back so soon for tribute. Simon tells him they’re looking for Daryl.

The Saviors search Alexandria but come up empty. Simon notes that the pantry shelves are bare. Aaron explains that they’re having a hard time scavenging.

After Simon leaves, Rick asks Aaron about the pantry. Aaron and Tobin explain that Gabriel disappeared from his night shift, along with most of their food, weapons and a car. Rosita accuses Gabriel of stealing their goods, but Rick defends Gabriel, saying he wouldn’t do that.

Rick finds Gabriel’s bible on the pantry floor. He then leafs through the inventory notebook and finds a hastily scribbled note from Gabriel that says, “BOAT,” referring to the boat where Rick and Aaron found supplies.

Aaron packs a bag to accompany Rick back to the boat. Eric begs him not to go; he knows they’re taking on the Saviors. Aaron tells him he has to.

Rick’s group arrives at the lake. They follow a trail of footprints to an overgrown urban parking lot. A large group quickly surrounds them, holding them at gunpoint. Rick smiles.

Ezekiel and his knights rendezvous with the Saviors at an abandoned parking lot. Gavin, the lead Savior, sees their tribute and announces that it looks light. Ezekiel assures him they’ve met their obligations. Gavin counts the watermelons and admits Ezekiel is right.

Jared, the Savior Richard fought during a previous delivery, plants himself obnoxiously close to Richard and demands he hand his weapon over. Richard and Jared draw their guns. Ezekiel and Gavin order their men to stand down. Per Ezekiel’s command, Richard relinquishes his weapon. Jared takes the gun and swings it at him, only to be blocked by Morgan’s fighting stick. When Jared grabs Morgan’s stick and attacks him in turn, Benjamin takes the Savior down. Ezekiel orders them to stop fighting. When the Saviors leave, Jared keeps Morgan’s fighting stick.

Back at the Kingdom, Ezekiel warns Benjamin against being too eager to fight.

In the courtyard, Daryl pulls Morgan aside and admonishes him for putting up with the Saviors. He argues that Carol would want to kill the Saviors if she knew about Glenn and Abraham’s deaths. Morgan agrees and adds “that’s why she left,” still not divulging Carol’s whereabouts.

In the archery area, Richard practices shooting a bow. He gives Daryl a crossbow and asks him for pointers, explaining that they share the same goal: killing the Saviors.

Richard takes Daryl to his hidden camper trailer in the woods. He explains that they have to hit the Saviors first, but in order for that to happen, they need something to move Ezekiel. He stocks up on guns and makes a Molotov cocktail.

Richard and Daryl hide behind an 18-wheel cargo on the highway. Richard describes his plan to incite war with the Saviors. He intends to ambush them on the road; the Saviors that discover the brutal scene will follow a trail to a weapons cache he planted at a lone woman’s cottage. He expects the Saviors will kill the woman, who Ezekiel cares for, thus pushing the king towards war.

When pressed, Richard reluctantly reveals that the woman is Carol. At the sound of approaching engines, Daryl wrestles Richard to the ground to keep him from enacting his plan. The Saviors drive by. Daryl refuses to help Richard at Carol’s expense and vows to kill him if she gets hurt in any way.

In the massive junkyard known as The Heaps, its residents (the Scavengers) surround Rick’s group. Rick speaks to a woman (Jadis) who is clearly the leader, and asks to see Gabriel, knowing they kidnapped him from Alexandria. Gabriel is brought out. Rick tells the woman that if the survivors are killed, the Saviors will be deprived of their tribute, and come looking for what’s theirs. He asks for her help in fighting the Saviors, but she refuses. A fight breaks out between the two groups. Gabriel holds a Heaps resident, Tamiel, at knife point. Gabriel explains that the Scavengers can take the Saviors’ food and weapons if they help defeat them. Jadis takes Rick for a walk.

Michonne asks a nearby Scavenger where Rick is being taken. The woman points to the top of a trash heap.

Jadis tells Rick that he needs to prove his worth, then pushes him down the trash heap.

Rick lands in a pit and he’s attacked by a walker covered in spiked armor. He struggles against the walker, piercing his hand and leg on its armor. He dislodges a pile of trash onto the walker, then stabs it with a shard of glass, decapitating it. Jadis throws him some rope.

Rick climbs the rope to the top of the heap, rejoining Jadis. She agrees to help fight the Saviors in exchange for goods. After some bargaining, they agree on the terms. The Scavengers are to get guns, one-third of the Saviors’ supplies and a portion of the goods that they stole from the Alexandria pantry.

Rick rejoins his group, and the massive crowd of Scavengers that surrounded them retreats into the Heaps.

Outside the Kingdom walls, Ezekiel and Jerry deliver cobbler to Carol’s cottage. She accepts it and tells them to go.

Carol reads a book in her cottage. She answers a knock at her door: It’s Daryl. She hugs him. Daryl claims that he discovered her by chance.

Scavengers load the stolen Alexandria supplies into Rick’s car. Gabriel thanks Rick for rescuing him, for believing in him and not assuming he stole the supplies from the pantry. He then asks Rick why he smiled, why he was so confident when his group was surrounded at gunpoint. Rick tells him that enemies can become friends.

Rosita furiously argues against returning to Alexandria. She believes they should look for guns to fulfill their deal with the Scavengers. Tara points out that Rick and Aaron need medical attention back in Alexandria.

Michonne asks Rick if he has any idea where they’re going to look for guns. Rick solicits Tara’s help, figuring she has roamed the furthest of anyone in the group. She agrees to help but doesn’t mention Oceanside.

Before they leave the Heaps, Rick finds a cat statue and gives it to Michonne to replace the one she lost.

In her cabin, Carol tells Daryl that she left Alexandria because she didn’t want to lose anyone. She no longer wished to kill and she would have if the Saviors killed anyone she loved. She asks if anyone in Alexandria was harmed. Predicting that Carol would seek revenge if she knew about Glenn and Abraham’s deaths, Daryl lies and tells her that everyone survived.

After they enjoy a quiet dinner, Daryl hugs Carol and leaves the cottage.

Back at the Kingdom, Daryl sits by Shiva’s cage. He tells Morgan that he knows about Carol. He implores Morgan to convince Ezekiel to join the fight against the Saviors. Morgan refuses. Daryl declares that he’s returning to the Hilltop; he’s getting ready.

The next morning, Morgan watches as Daryl leaves the Kingdom. He looks over and sees Richard standing on a balcony, observing Daryl’s exit.

At the Sanctuary, a group of Saviors discovers Fat Joey’s body in the bike lot where Daryl killed him. Dwight forces his way to the front of the crowd and immediately notices a missing motorcycle. He panics and runs through the halls of the Sanctuary, until he arrives at Daryl’s empty cell. It’s moments after his escape.

Dwight grabs his walkie from his apartment and spots Daryl’s prison clothes on the floor. He finds the note that Daryl received from his liberator and studies it: “Go now.”

Negan returns to the compound with his new prisoner, Eugene, who shakes with terror as Laura, a female Savior, walks him deep into the bowels of the Sanctuary. She stops their march and opens a door. Eugene is surprised to see she’s taken him to a private apartment, meant for him. As he explores his new digs, Laura reveals that Daryl has escaped. She asks Eugene if he has any leads to his whereabouts; Eugene tells her that he doesn’t and assures her, with sincerity, that he’d tell her if he did. Eugene continues inspecting his new commodities; he is delighted to find the fridge stocked with food and to learn that Laura can get him a meal of his choosing: canned pasta in tomato sauce. He’s disappointed to learn that they’re out of pickles.

Dwight sits in his room, examining the handwriting on the scrap of paper, “Go now.” Saviors barge in and start to beat him as Negan watches from the doorway.

Dwight sits in Daryl’s dark cell, now his cell. Negan informs him that Sherry ran away and wonders if she helped Daryl escape. Dwight defends Sherry. Negan continues hypothesizing and questions whether Dwight changed his stripes and helped Daryl himself; he then orders Dwight to find Sherry and bring her back.

In the infirmary, Dr. Carson stitches Dwight’s wounds and remarks that Sherry was soft and probably helped Daryl escape.

In a flash-forward, Dwight looks at a photo of himself and Sherry in happier times.

Back in the present, Dwight retrieves his backpack from his apartment. He grabs a carton of cigarettes from a hiding spot. Inside the carton is a cigarette stained with Sherry’s lipstick.

Dwight leaves the compound on a motorcycle.

Laura shows Eugene around the factory floor and explains the Saviors’ point system, which he’s exempt from; he can take whatever he wants. She gifts him a jar of pickles.

Outside, by the Sanctuary fence-line, Negan orders that Simon go lead a search party to Alexandria to search for Daryl. Eugene is brought before him and is given an intimidating introduction. When asked for his name, Eugene responds with “Eugene.” Negan then prompts the Saviors for their names and they respond in unison: “Negan.” Negan grills Eugene about his credentials. Scared, Eugene falls back on an old lie and claims he has multiple PhDs and was part of the Human Genome Project. Negan asks Eugene for advice on how to prevent his fence-line walkers from deteriorating. Eugene impresses Negan with his proposed solution: covering them in a shell of liquefied metal that will make the walkers indestructible once it dries. As a reward for his ingenuity, Negan offers to send several of his wives to Eugene’s apartment.

Eugene plays video games while three of Negan’s wives watch. Tanya and Frankie sit next to him, while Amber sits away from the group, drinking. During conversation, Tanya jokingly asks if Eugene knows how to make a bomb. Eugene lists the ingredients he would need to make one.

Eugene walks outside with Amber, Tanya and Frankie. He mixes ingredients and ignites a bomb. The wives clap giddily.

Dwight rides his motorcycle through a dead suburb; he parks in front of an abandoned house and enters. He looks for Sherry in their old home, where they agreed to rendezvous if they ever got separated. He gazes at the photo of himself and Sherry in happier times. He finds a farewell note from Sherry, along with her wedding rings. She admits to freeing Daryl and apologizes for forcing Dwight into Negan’s world. Dwight is shaken with emotion; he places the rings in his cigarette carton.

Tanya and Frankie visit Eugene, seeking his help; they explain that Amber wants to commit suicide and ask if he can make some pills for her. Eugene reluctantly agrees.

Eugene uses his position of power to cut in line in the marketplace and orders cold capsules. He goes back to his apartment and makes the pills.

Dr. Carson treats Dwight’s wounds. Dwight tells him that he found Sherry caught up in walker trouble and killed her.

Laura escorts Eugene to the factory floor, where a crowd has gathered around the furnace. Negan enters and points Lucille directly at Eugene. “You are gonna wanna pay close attention to this,” he says.

Negan turns and whacks Lucille against Dr. Carson’s shoulder. Negan accuses Dr. Carson of helping Daryl escape in order to impress Sherry. He shows Dr. Carson a note from Sherry, which Dwight clipped from her farewell letter and planted in Dr. Carson’s desk. “Goodbye. -- Honey,” it reads. Dr. Carson accuses Dwight of lying, but he quickly folds and falsely confesses when Negan threatens him with the iron.

Negan stares intently at Eugene before he grabs Dr. Carson and throws him face-first into the furnace. Negan puts his arm around Dwight, saying “Good thing we have a spare Dr. Carson.”

Frankie and Tanya visit Eugene in his apartment. He correctly guesses that the pills are for Negan, not Amber, and refuses to hand them over. Tanya calls him a coward and they leave.

Negan pays Eugene a visit. He tells Eugene that he doesn’t make his invitation lightly and explains that he doesn’t need to be scared anymore. Negan asks Eugene “Who are –” but Eugene interrupts before he can finish the question. “I’m Negan,” Eugene says.

Eugene oversees workers at the Sanctuary fence-line as they execute his plan to fortify the walkers with molten metal. Dwight joins Eugene on the upper stairway. Dwight asks him if he’s on board; Eugene assures him that he is. After a name exchange, Eugene ends his introduction with, “We are Negan.”

Out in the woods, Rick and Michonne scavenge for guns to fulfill their deal with Jadis.

As they prepare for another day of scavenging, Rick notes that one of their walkies needs batteries.

In the van, Rick and Michonne arrange the few supplies they’ve collected.

Still out scavenging, they happen upon Saviors golfing in a field. They spot batteries in the Saviors’ truck.

Back in the van, Rick powers up the dead walkie using batteries stolen from the Saviors. Michonne suggests they return to Alexandria, but Rick convinces her to keep scavenging for another day and a half.

Meanwhile, back in Alexandria, Rosita is on her porch, removing the stitches from the cut on her face. Tara arrives with the intention of helping Rosita remove her sutures. After an awkward pause, Tara assures Rosita that they have enough people to fight Negan; they just need to find weapons. Rosita snaps back, asking where they’re going to find guns. “I can’t just wait,” Rosita says as she stalks off, vowing to find guns.

As Michonne drives the van down a road, she looks at Rick and sees he’s nodded off.

Michonne makes coffee by the side of the road as Rick continues to sleep. She spots a deer in the woods and quietly grabs a gun from the van. Rick wakes up and joins Michonne. They search for the deer but it’s gone. Then, they notice something else in the distance.

Rick and Michonne discover an abandoned school with a chain link fence surrounding its perimeter. They bang on the fence, and the sound attracts a gun-bearing walker in combat uniform.

After dispatching the walker, Michonne removes its gun. “Something serious happened here,” she says. Rick inspects the shell casings on the ground and guesses they are about to find some “serious guns.”

Out on her own, Rosita scavenges for guns. She spots a gun in the doorway of an old house and goes after it. A walker lunges out at Rosita. She kills the walker and grabs the gun, only to discover that it’s a toy. Furious, she hurls the toy gun to the ground.

Rick and Michonne climb onto the waterlogged roof of the school for a better vantage point. They find the grounds decked out with carnival rides and swarming with walkers — all equipped with guns. Michonne describes the site as a battlefield. “I think this is it,” says Rick.

As they take in the scene, Rick wonders if they’ll be able to take out all the walkers. In response, Michonne fires her rifle at a gaming booth in the distance, hitting its target. They both laugh.

Suddenly, the roof below them caves in and they fall through.

Rick and Michonne land on a bed, and burst out laughing at their immense luck. As they examine their surroundings, Rick sees a large pile of boxes, each filled with canned goods and other supplies.

Back in Alexandria, Rosita visits Gabriel at the church. She yells at him for dissuading her from killing Negan, even though it might have gotten her killed. Gabriel patiently defends himself; he argues that the rest of the group still needs her.

Rick and Michonne open the crates and discover an abundance of non-perishable food rations. That night, they feast inside the school gymnasium. They decide to set aside one third of the food for the Saviors, and a portion of the weapons for the Scavengers. As they talk about the impending war, Michonne urges Rick to lead the communities after they defeat Negan. Rick suggests they take another day or two before heading back home.

Later, Rick sits awake at night while Michonne sleeps.

While babysitting Judith, Tara debates the pros and cons of telling Rick about the guns at Oceanside. She’s torn by her promise to keep its location a secret.

Outside the school, Rick and Michonne formulate a plan to close a gap in the perimeter fence and kill all the walkers. Rick shifts an abandoned car into neutral and they roll it toward the gap. The brakes fail. A walker with an automatic slung across its shoulders gets caught in some rebar; the trigger of the gun is caught in the metal, causing it to fire at Rick and Michonne. Michonne jumps into the trunk as the car rolls through the gap and comes to a stop. Walkers swarm the car.

Rick and Michonne escape the car, and the walkers follow.

Rick and Michonne split up in order to divide the herd. While fighting walkers, Rick spots a deer and climbs the Ferris wheel to get a good shot at it. The ride can’t bear his weight and he falls. He shoots at walkers as they start to close in on him.

Michonne runs over to help Rick and sees walkers feasting on fresh flesh and intestines. She drops her katana in shock, thinking Rick has died. Walkers move toward her. Rick lunges out from the carnival ride and starts taking down walkers. He throws Michonne her katana, and she snaps back into action. After they’ve killed the entire herd, they hug.

As Rick and Michonne gather guns from the school grounds, he sees her crying in the distance.

Michonne sits in silence during the drive back to Alexandria. Rick pulls over. He warns her that they’re going to lose people in the fight against Negan, possibly each other. He tells her it will be worth it, because it’s not about them anymore; it’s about the future. He asks her to lead the group if he doesn’t survive.

Rick’s group delivers 63 guns to Jadis. Rosita bristles when Jadis says she needs twice as many guns. Rick insists on keeping 20 guns to help them in their search for more. Jadis agrees.

Back in Alexandria, Rick asks Tara if she’s seen Rosita, who didn’t show up for guard shift. Tara says she has something to tell Rick.

Rosita visits Sasha at the Hilltop, seeking her help to kill Negan. Sasha agrees to help on one condition; she gets to take the shot. Rosita hands Sasha a rifle and tells her she memorized Daryl and Carl’s description of Negan’s compound. Sasha says Jesus drew her a map of the compound’s exterior. They acknowledge that the mission will likely end in their deaths. Rosita emphasizes, “It’s a one way ticket for both of us."

A crew of somber Kingdom residents loads a single cantaloupe onto a truck, which has a strange blood stain on it.

Carol wakes up from a restless sleep. After a moment of thought, she gets out of bed.

Benjamin quietly watches as Morgan teaches Henry how to fight with a stick.

Carol leaves her cottage and heads toward the Kingdom. Along the way, she incapacitates a Walker but neglects to kill it. Once she arrives, Carol single-handedly kills five walkers at the Kingdom gate. The guards, shocked by her skills, let her in. She demands to see Morgan.

Carol finds Morgan in his room and demands to know why Rick’s group visited the Kingdom. She asks if everyone in Alexandria is okay, despite what Daryl assured her. Morgan tells her she needs to ask Daryl herself and offers to return to Alexandria with her. She leaves.

As Carol leaves the Kingdom, Benjamin asks her to teach him how to fight. She refuses. Carol then comes across the Walker she passed earlier but is puzzled to find that it has been put down. The camera then shows an unidentifiable shadow watching Carol from the distance.

Richard digs a hole in the dirt behind an urban lot. Next to the hole is a child’s backpack, with the name “Katy” written on it.

Back at the Kingdom, Ezekiel watches residents going about their day. One of the residents, Nabila, informs Ezekiel that their crop is infested with weevils and must be burned. She assures him it will grow back.

Benjamin gives Morgan a framed painting to hang in his room.

Ezekiel’s crew loads cantaloupes onto a truck for their scheduled drop with the Saviors. Richard apologizes to Morgan for their strained relationship. He warns Morgan that Morgan will have to kill some day.

En route to the drop, Ezekiel’s crew encounters a row of shopping carts blocking the road near an urban lot. They search the area, weapons ready. Richard covers the group from behind. They find an open grave with a sign, “Bury me here.” They move the carts off the road and continue on their way.

They arrive at the meeting point, where the Saviors await. Gavin reprimands Ezekiel for arriving late. Gavin interjects as Ezekiel begins explaining their delayed arrival. Jerry tells him not to interrupt the King. Annoyed, Jared hits Jerry over the head with Morgan’s fighting stick, which he previously took during their last drop. Benjamin mutters under his breath, “rat faced prick.” Jared hears this and glares at him. Gavin inspects the offering, then demands their guns.

The two groups draw their weapons on each other. Richard advises Ezekiel to disarm and is promptly mocked by Jared.

Ezekiel reluctantly complies. Gavin explains that he took their guns because things are going to get emotional. He points out that they’re short one cantaloupe. Ezekiel insists there are twelve cantaloupes. On inspection he counts them and realizes there are eleven. Gavin explains he’s going to teach them a lesson so they understand the stakes. Jared raises his gun and points it at Richard, point blank. “Just do it,” Richard tells him. Jared shifts his hand at the last second before pulling the trigger, and shoots Benjamin in the leg.

Shocked by the turn of events, Gavin chastises Jared and tells him to return Morgan’s fighting stick. Keeping with the lesson, Gavin orders Ezekiel to bring him the twelfth cantaloupe the next day. Meanwhile, Benjamin is bleeding out on the ground. After Ezekiel acknowledges what he owes Gavin, the crew quickly loads Benjamin onto the truck.

Benjamin’s dead body is covered with a white, blood stained sheet. Morgan abruptly leaves the cottage. Carol looks after him, a sad look on her face.

Back at the urban lot, where they encountered the roadblock, Morgan walks alone. He screams as visions of the past flash before him. He sees his son, his wife, Benjamin. He holds a knife to his wrists, but reconsiders. Finally, he kicks a box over in his fury, and finds the missing cantaloupe hidden beneath it. He instantly remembers Richard covering the group from behind, and being out of sight. He realizes that Richard intentionally hid the cantaloupe.

Morgan confronts Richard in his room. “It was supposed to be me,” Richard laments. He explains that he planned to provoke the Saviors into killing him, as Gavin had promised he’d be the first to die if anything went wrong. He’d hoped his death over something so petty would motivate Ezekiel to fight the Saviors.

Richard tells Morgan about losing his wife at a refugee camp, then losing his daughter while on the run. He blames himself for not taking action, a mistake he won’t repeat.

He proposes they do something to regain the Saviors’ trust – to show them that they “get it” – and then destroy them with help from Alexandria and the Hilltop. Richard explains that someone had to die, and he was ready to be that person.

Later, Morgan sits in bed, lost in thought.

The next day, Ezekiel grimly places a single cantaloupe in the truck.

At the drop, Gavin asks after Benjamin. When no one replies, Gavin realises that he has died. Upset and furious, he orders Jared to walk home and threatens to kill him should he disobey. As Richard brings the cantaloupe to Gavin, Morgan attacks Richard from behind. There is little resistance as Morgan strangles Richard to death. He tells everyone that Richard staged the missing cantaloupe in order to incite a war. He assures Gavin that they “get it” – and the Kingdom will honor their relationship going forward.

After the Saviors leave, Morgan explains that Richard wanted to sacrifice himself. He accidentally refers to Benjamin as Duane, his son. Morgan gets emotional and tears begin rolling down his face. Ezekiel attempts to console him. Morgan tells Ezekiel to leave him alone. After Ezekiel leaves, Morgan stabs Richard in the head to keep him from reanimating.

Morgan drags Richard’s body to the urban lot and buries him in the open grave. He finds Katy’s backpack and buries it with Richard. Morgan then goes on a walker killing spree.

Later, Morgan visits Carol at her cottage. He confesses that the Saviors killed Glenn, Abraham, Spencer, and Olivia. He explains that Rick wants to fight the Saviors, and that’s why he was at the Kingdom. Then Morgan prepares to go, intending to go after the Saviors. But Carol tries to convince him to stay.

Carol returns to the Kingdom and finds Ezekiel with Henry. She tells him she’s moving to the Kingdom to help them prepare. “We have to fight,” she says. Ezekiel agrees, “but not today.” Carol joins Ezekiel and Henry in replanting the burned crops.

Meanwhile, Morgan sits alone on the cottage porch, whittling the end of his fighting stick into a menacingly sharp point.

Maggie regards the bustling Hilltop community. She gives residents knife-throwing lessons, in preparation for the war against the Saviors. She and Jesus work on plans for the future of the community. Gradually, the people of Hilltop begin to look to her as a leader.

In Jesus’ trailer, Maggie falls asleep while working at the kitchen table. Enid sees as Jesus hands Sasha his map of Negan’s compound.

Maggie sees Daryl sitting alone outside the trailer, despondent. She brings him a plate of food and briefly comforts him with a hand on the shoulder before heading back inside.

From his office window, Gregory suspiciously watches a group of Hilltop residents congregate in the courtyard. He downs a drink.

Rosita arrives at the Hilltop and tells Sasha she needs her help killing Negan.

Maggie apologizes to Jesus for taking over his trailer. Having grown up in a group home, it doesn't bother him. With Maggie, Sasha and Enid, he feels close to people for the first time. Maggie leaves to speak with the blacksmith about making spears they can trade with the Kingdom for body armor.

Jesus begs Sasha to delay her mission until more people can join her, but Sasha refuses. Enid warns Sasha that she’s going to tell Maggie what’s going on, but she’ll give Sasha a ten-minute head start. Outside, a guard sounds an alarm: The Saviors are coming.

Enid runs over to Daryl and asks him to help hide Maggie.

Sasha packs her bag and takes Rosita to a secret escape hatch that passes beneath the perimeter wall.

Maggie realizes she doesn’t have enough time to make it to the escape hatch herself. Enid guides her and Daryl to a root cellar to hide.

Gregory greets the Saviors in his foyer. Simon tells Gregory that Negan wants one of the Hilltop residents.

Daryl peers out of the cellar. Maggie calls him over to a hiding place in the dark shadows of the cellar.

Sasha and Rosita escape through the woods on foot.

Rosita tries to hotwire a car, to no avail. She notices Sasha’s necklace and gruffly points out that she made it for Abraham. As the two continue looking for a ride, Rosita rebuffs Sasha’s attempts to make small talk.

Sasha suggests they hole up at a building near the Sanctuary and shoot Negan from a distance. She’s sure she won’t miss. Rosita argues that they should instead enter the compound and kill Negan on-site to ensure success.

At the Hilltop, Roy (a Savior), walks toward the cellar doors. Enid tries to distract him, but he proceeds to enter the cellar. Daryl’s face fills with rage as he and Maggie watch him from their hiding spot.

In the medical trailer, Simon tells Dr. Carson that they need his services at the Sanctuary. Dr. Carson correctly guesses that his brother, the Sanctuary’s former doctor, was killed. In exchange for taking Dr. Carson, Simon gives Gregory a crate of aspirin.

Gregory pulls Simon aside and assures him that he’s an ally to Negan. He explains that he needs to hold on to his people’s trust; otherwise, someone less cooperative could take over. He hints that he might eventually need Negan’s help quelling insurgents within the community. Simon gives Gregory a hand-written note that will grant him entry into the Sanctuary should he ever need to seek their help.

Roy searches the cellar. Daryl readies his knife to attack, but Maggie holds him back. Roy leaves with some supplies and shuts the door. Once he’s gone, Maggie remarks that Daryl nearly killed a Savior unnecessarily. Sensing Daryl’s fury at the Saviors, she tells him that she, too, wanted to kill, but that it would only have detracted from the bigger goal -- winning the war.

Daryl apologizes to Maggie for his role in Glenn's death. Maggie resolutely maintains Daryl wasn't to blame. Glenn knew Daryl was good, she tells him.

The Hilltop residents gather at the gates and watch the Saviors leave with Dr. Carson. Gregory, sensing their disappointment, shifts around uncomfortably.

At an abandoned car lot, Rosita lights a car on fire to distract walkers. She and Sasha climb the fence into the lot, and Rosita hotwires a car. They drive off to the Sanctuary.

Sasha and Rosita situate themselves in an empty building near the Sanctuary. Sasha observes the walker yard through her rifle’s scope and sees Eugene monitoring the area, and giving orders. She relays the information to Rosita, who is convinced Eugene must be playing some angle.

As they wait for Negan to emerge, Rosita opens up to Sasha, revealing where she picked up her multifaceted skills. She learned about bombs, cars, knots, etc., from men she dated. They wanted to protect her, Rosita tells Sasha, but she always ended up surpassing their skills.

But, she continues, that wasn’t how things were with Abraham, who saw her as she was. Rosita admits that she wasted her time hating Sasha and wishes she could’ve gotten the chance to tell Abraham she was happy for him.

Sasha looks through the rifle’s scope again and sees the truck arrive with Dr. Carson. Negan finally walks into the courtyard, but Sasha can't find a clear shot before he goes back inside. They hear Eugene on their walkie, ordering Saviors to help beef up fence security. There’s a change in plans as Sasha and Rosita decide to enter the compound.

Back at the Hilltop, Gregory summons Jesus to his office and hands him job assignments for the newcomers. Jesus accuses Gregory of splitting up groups to protect himself. Gregory warns Jesus against talking back to him. Gregory says he’s realized they’re no longer friends.

Daryl asks Jesus where Sasha and Rosita are.

That night, Eugene discusses security protocol with a Savior in the courtyard. Rosita and Sasha kill the Savior and cut through the fence. They urge Eugene to come with them and escape, but Eugene refuses. He tells them to go away and heads back inside. Rosita curses at Eugene, in sincere disappointment.

At Sasha’s suggestion, Rosita keeps watch as Sasha slips through the fence. She uses a lock to close the opening behind her, locking Rosita out. Sasha tells Rosita that Alexandria still needs her then runs inside the Sanctuary. Rosita sobs in frustration, and flees when she hears Saviors approaching. She stops and notices a dark figure watching her.

After Tara tells Rick about the arsenal at Oceanside, they lead a group of Alexandrians to the distant community. Meanwhile, a herd of walkers makes its way down the shoreline, towards Oceanside.

At the Hilltop, Maggie offers Eduardo farming tips. Gregory observes their interaction. He overhears Eduardo refer to Maggie as “boss lady,” and hears Maggie’s plan to transplant a blueberry bush from outside the Hilltop gates. She explains blueberry bushes can produce for over 40 years, and that they should start acting like they’ll be around that long.

Outside Oceanside, the survivors set their plan in motion: Michonne climbs a tree, rifle in tow, and assumes her post; Jesus and Daryl set up explosives as Aaron and Eric keep watch. In a bittersweet exchange, Eric explains he finally understands Aaron’s resolve to fight the Saviors.

Jesus voices his regrets about Rosita and Sasha, chastising himself for not stopping their attack against Negan. Daryl assures Jesus that Sasha is a good shot and guesses that they could be back at the Hilltop.

At the Sanctuary, David opens the door to Sasha's cell. Sasha lies on the ground, her arms and legs bound. When she asks for water, David gets uncomfortably close and tears her shirt. Sasha head-butts him, knocking him over. Angered, David unbuckles his pants. Just then, Negan appears and reminds David that rape is forbidden at the Sanctuary. He stabs David through the neck, killing him.

Sasha assures Negan that Rick did not send her to assassinate him. Negan, impressed by Sasha’s “lady nuts,” asks her to join the Saviors. He unties her wrists, gives her his knife, and presents his proposition: She can choose not to use the knife, allowing David to reanimate and kill her, or she can save herself and use the knife against David, but she’ll have to join Negan’s cause. He leaves the cell.

Later, Eugene brings Sasha a blanket and pillow. He explains that he’s never been as scared as he was that night in the RV in the woods; he joined Negan to ensure he never feels that way again. He recommends she do the same. Sasha orders him to leave. After Eugene is gone, David starts to reanimate.

Gregory joins Maggie as she uproots a blueberry bush outside the Hilltop walls. He proposes they present a united front to the community. Maggie agrees to consider his offer. He contemplates killing Maggie while her back is turned, but ultimately decides against it. A walker emerges from the woods. Gregory charges at it but backs away at the last minute. Maggie kills the walker as a second walker attacks Gregory. A passing group of Hilltop residents witness Maggie saving Gregory. A resident remarks that Gregory exaggerated his walker-killing experience.

At Oceanside, Tara sneaks into Natania’s home and holds her and Cyndie at gunpoint. She explains that her group is taking their guns in order to fight the Saviors. She begs them to talk to Rick and join their resistance. Natania refuses.

Rick’s group sets off the explosives near the Oceanside walls. Daryl and Jesus capture Beatrice and Kathy as the other residents flee.

Natania feigns an injury, distracting Tara, and giving Cyndie enough time to grab a hidden gun. Tara turns her gun towards Cyndie, and is tackled by Natania. As Cyndie holds her at gunpoint, Tara reveals that her own gun was never loaded.

Rick and the rest of the group round up the Oceanside residents and assemble the captives. Rick assures them that he doesn’t plan to hurt anyone. Then Natania appears, holding Tara at gunpoint. Cyndie tells her people that Rick’s group wants to fight the Saviors. Beatrice suggests they join the fight but Natania refuses to lose more people to the Saviors.

Rick’s group and the Oceansiders organize a combined defense that allows them to efficiently kill the walkers. Beatrice shakes hands with Rick. Natania angrily concedes, allowing Rick’s group to take their guns; but she remains adamant against fighting.

Negan opens the door to Sasha’s cell and sees the knife protruding from David’s forehead. “You win,” Sasha says, agreeing to join him. Negan retrieves the knife and says that Sasha needs to further convince him of her loyalty. He tells her that he knows Rick is formulating a plot against him and that he plans to enlist her help in stopping him.

Back in his office, Gregory takes Simon’s hand-written note from his shirt pocket. He studies a local road map then calls for Kal. He tells Kal to pack a bag and prepare to drive him somewhere.

Eugene stops by Sasha’s cell and assures her she made the right choice. Through the door, Sasha sobs, convinced that she made the wrong decision. She’s worried that she’ll be used as a tool against Rick’s group. She begs Eugene to bring her a weapon, a knife, gun or razor blade, so she can kill herself before Negan uses her against their friends. He agrees to consider her request. But in the cell, Sasha’s face shows resolve as she plays her angle.

The Oceanside residents watch Rick’s group leave with their guns. Gabriel wonders whether they need to take all the guns. Rick insists it’s necessary.

Cyndie informs Tara that Natania has forbidden her community to fight the Saviors. She thanks Tara for what her group is doing.

Eugene knocks on Sasha’s cell door and slips her the suicide pill that he made for Frankie and Tanya. Sasha despairs when she realizes he didn’t bring her a weapon she can use against Negan.

Rick’s group returns to Alexandria late at night. Rosita opens the gate for them. Jesus asks about Sasha, but Rosita doesn’t answer. She tells them they have a visitor.

Rosita leads Rick’s group to the Alexandria prison cell: Dwight sits behind bars. Daryl charges at Dwight but Rick and Michonne hold him back. Rosita says that Dwight wants to help. “Okay,” says Rick. He aims his gun at Dwight and orders him to kneel.

In a dark, enclosed space, Sasha struggles to maintain consciousness. Music echoes from her earbuds as she finally drifts off.

In a flashback, Sasha sleeps on a couch. Abraham wakes her and tells her that Maggie needs medical attention, and he’s accompanying Rick’s group on their trek to Hilltop to get her to a doctor. Sasha asks him to stay behind.

In the present, Negan brings a tray of food to Sasha’s cell. He assures her she doesn’t have to die that day but warns that someone from Rick’s group does. She asks him what he needs from her.

In another flashback, Sasha sits next to Maggie in a field.

In the Alexandria prison cell, Daryl slams Dwight against a wall and holds him at knifepoint. Dwight insists he’s on their side and warns the group that Negan will come to Alexandria the next day. Dwight presents his plan: He suggests they attack Negan and his crew while they’re in Alexandria. From there, Dwight can radio the Sanctuary and let them know everything is okay. The Saviors will be caught off guard when Rick and the group ride in, using the Saviors’ trucks. Once inside, they can rally the workers, take down the Saviors and destroy their other outposts.

Dwight heads back to the Sanctuary after Rick’s group agrees to his plan. Daryl vows to kill Dwight after the battle is over.

Sasha continues listening to music through her earbuds.

Continuing the same flashback from earlier, Sasha tells Abraham that she had a dream in which he died.

In the present, Negan tells Sasha how he plans to use her in his attack against Alexandria. He insists on executing three people, but Sasha bargains him down to one.

In the flashback, Sasha and Maggie continue to stare out at the field.

In the present, Maggie reviews Rick’s plan with Jesus and Enid. She considers their options and contemplates joining the fight at Alexandria.

Carol leads a regiment from the Kingdom toward Alexandria. They reach the blockade of shopping carts previously placed by Richard. Morgan appears and vows to hunt down the Saviors by himself, but Ezekiel convinces him to fight at their side.

The Scavengers arrive at Alexandria in a caravan of garbage trucks and bicycles. Rick greets Jadis inside the gate.

Meanwhile, Negan’s crew works to remove chopped down trees blocking the road, delaying their arrival at Alexandria. Eugene asks Negan’s permission to approach Rick and try to defuse the situation before resorting to battle.

Back at Alexandria, a Scavenger watches Tara as she helps set up a blockade outside the gate.

Sasha listens to music on her headphones. She struggles to keep her eyes open.

In the flashback, Sasha tells Abraham about her dream. They were at the beach, he went under water and never resurfaced. Abraham jokes that he hates the beach and gets up to leave for the Hilltop. Sasha again asks for them to sit this one out -- “Maggie’s gotta take care of Maggie,” she says.

Negan and the Saviors mobilize for their attack on Alexandria. At Sasha’s cell, Eugene speaks with Sasha about her change of heart regarding the “allergy medication” (the suicide pill). He assures her she’ll get used to life at the Sanctuary. “No, not like you,” she says.

In the flashback, Maggie and Sasha watch the sunrise.

A Scavenger alerts everyone in Alexandria to the Saviors’ arrival. Rick assumes his position at the front gate, with Jadis crouching by his feet, hidden from view. Negan’s caravan arrives. Eugene steps out and tries to convince Rick to surrender. Rick hesitates, stricken by Eugene’s betrayal, then gives Rosita the signal to detonate the explosives. Rosita pushes the detonator, but there is no explosion. Jadis leaps up and aims her gun at Rick. Simultaneously, the Scavengers turn their guns on the Alexandrians. Negan emerges from a truck. Saviors open the truck that holds the explosives.

Watching the situation unfold, Michonne tries to leave her balcony post to help Rick, but Farron stops her, holding her at gunpoint.

Negan’s men remove a coffin from their flatbed; he announces that Sasha is inside, alive and well. He offers to let her live if Rick turns over all their guns – and Daryl. Even then, Negan will still execute one Alexandrian of Rick’s choosing. Rick insists on seeing Sasha. Negan taps Lucille against the casket, knocking.

Sasha listens to music on her headphones. In the flashback, she and Abraham kiss. He reminds her that putting their lives on the line for others is what they do and that Maggie and her baby are the future. Sasha agrees, admitting guilt for her previous statement about Maggie. They leave for their doomed journey to the Hilltop.

As Negan’s group mobilizes to attack Alexandria, Sasha confirms with Eugene that it will take a couple of hours to reach their destination. Eugene gives her an iPod with headphones. Sasha tells Negan that she wants to travel to Alexandria in the casket so she can rest. She requests a bottle of water.

Inside the coffin, Sasha selects a song from the iPod. As music begins to play, she pops the suicide pill in her mouth and chases it with water.

In the present, Negan opens the casket door. Sasha, now a walker, lunges at him. Rick’s group takes advantage of the ensuing chaos and turns their guns on the Scavengers and Saviors. Michonne fights Farron on the balcony. Rosita is shot. Rick tries to join the fight, but Jadis holds him at gunpoint.

Walker Sasha tears into a Savior’s neck. Negan and Simon hide from gunfire behind a truck.

Rick attempts to make another deal with Jadis. She shoots him in the side and pushes him off the platform.

Farron brutally beats Michonne.

Jadis leads Rick to Negan and orders him to kneel beside Carl. She reminds Negan of their deal – twelve people in exchange for the Scavengers’ help in the attack. Negan bargains her down to 10.

Farron holds Michonne over the edge of the roof.

Rick and Carl look on in horror as a body plummets to the ground, from Michonne’s balcony post. Negan vows to kill Carl and cut off Rick’s hands as punishment for Rick’s collusion. Rick reiterates his pledge to kill Negan. As Negan prepares to strike Carl with Lucille, Shiva leaps out and mauls a nearby Savior. Carol and Ezekiel lead the Kingdom group in an attack, as Maggie arrives with the Hilltop fighters. Battle ensues, while Rick joins the fight.

The Scavengers release smoke bombs and escape in the haze. Negan and his men escape in a truck.

Back at the Sanctuary, Simon and Dwight inform Negan that preparations are underway for plan B. Negan asks Eugene how Sasha managed to die in the casket. Eugene surmises that she ran out of air. Negan looks doubtful.

Negan addresses his Saviors in the courtyard. “We are going to war,” he declares.

Maggie and Jesus track down Walker Sasha in the woods. Maggie cries as they kill Sasha.

In the graveyard, Gabriel presides over Sasha’s funeral.

Daryl finds one of Dwight’s wooden figurines hidden by the front gate. He sees the words, “Didn’t know,” written on the back.

In the infirmary, Tara sits by Rosita’s side, and Rick holds Michonne’s hand as she rests in bed.

In a flashback, Maggie and Sasha continue to sit in a field, watching the sunrise. They turn to each other and smile.

Rick, Maggie and Ezekiel stand on a podium and address the crowd as the leaders of their respective communities: Alexandria, the Hilltop and the Kingdom, united, and ready to fight.

Season 7 is having more extended episodes than any other season, having 6 extended episodes as of the first half, and 6 in the second half.

Even so, four of the twelve extended episodes in the season are 85-90 minute episodes ("Service", "Sing Me a Song", "Hearts Still Beating", and "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life"). The rest are extended by a few minutes.

This season has the highest number of main cast members in the opening credits, exceeding the usual ten regulars, with 11 in "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" and 12 from "The Well" onwards.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan was added to the opening credits, while Austin Amelio, Xander Berkeley and Tom Payne are listed under "also starring".

Khary Payton was cast as Ezekiel and was initially reported to be a series regular for Season 7,[2] although his appearances are listed as a guest star as he is not credited in the episodes he doesn't appear in.